Every Burden Has A Version
by crazedreader96akajetliormrslh
Summary: "Every burden has a version in somebody else." What if James was deployed to war, leaving everyone he loved behind? The tales of what happened to him seen through both the eyes of him and Logan. Jagan one-shot.


Every Burden Has A Version

Pairing: Jagan

* * *

Logan sat on his bed, curled in a tight ball, a single photograph in his hand. Tears came to his eyes as he looked down at James's smiling face, although that day held an event that was nothing to smile at. The day that James was sent off and deployed the war zone. No one would have ever expected that James Diamond, the pretty boy of their graduating class, would be the first one to enlist. Yet, he did, and it had shocked everyone he knew. It was a sort of unspoken code in James's family, that each man would enlist. James's grandfather had, then James's father, and then James himself. Everyone of James's closest friends had been sad to see him go, but it had hit Logan harder than the rest. The two were dating, and it was extremely heartbreaking to watch him go.

**James stood with his family and friends, the bus behind him. His long brown hair wasn't so long anymore, but was now cropped short like Logan's. Logan knew that James didn't like that one part of the job, but James had told him it was worth it. He was taking pictures with everyone before he was to board. Logan was the last to get his picture, but it was well worth the wait. James wrapped his arm around Logan's shoulders as Carlos had taken their picture. **

**"You hate short hair," Logan said to James.**

**"I'll let it grow out when I get back," James said and Logan went silent. "I _will _come back, I would never let anything out there stop me from coming back." He squeezed Logan's hand before kissing his forehead. "I will not let any shit out there knock me down." **

**Logan nodded, tears welling in his eyes. "But what if-"**

**"Listen to me. No fucked up shit will keep me away. I'll fight it for everyone. I'll fight it for us." With that said, James had to pull away from the love of his life as he had to board the bus. He looked at all of his loved ones for the last time in a long time.**

Across the ocean, Private James Diamond was staring at the same exact photo, his heart aching with homesickness. He missed everyone so fucking much that it hurt to look at the photos they had sent to him. He touched his dogtags, remembering the promise he made to Logan. _"No fucked up shit will keep me away. I'll fight it for everyone. I'll fight it for us." _He had been away from home for over seven months now, but it felt like an eternity to him. He wanted nothing more than to be back home, holding Logan in his arms. Yet instead, he felt like he was trapping in a never-ending nightmare. James knew that some soldiers never got to go home after coming here, and he was determined not to become another forgotten statistic. He was going to keep his promise, no matter what it would take.

* * *

A few weeks later, James found himself on a patrol with another group of soldiers. All would have been normal if James didn't know better. It was too quiet for it to be normal. James then saw something fly in the air and he tensed, ducking instantly.

"Look out!" he exclaimed, then they were met with a blistering sound that was painful to listen to. "It's a fucking flash grenade!" he shouted, then that was followed by gunshots. James watched as his comrades fell, dead before they even hit the ground. One was alive, but was injured. Their attackers began to swarm him, ready to kill.

"No!" James yelled and all eyes turned to him. A new language then filled the air and James was glad that he had learned it when he did. He spoke with them quickly in Arabic, praying that they would listen. The next thing he knew was knocked unconscious.

Logan was sitting on the couch, watching the news intently.

"We have a new development from the front lines," the reported said and Logan instantly focused. "A newly deployed soldier has given himself up in order to save another." There was then a video clip of a shaken-up soldier telling the tale.

"We were all just patrolling when he spotted a flash grenade coming at us. He was the only one smart enough to get out of the way. The next thing I know, gunshots are filling the air. Everyone else is dead before they even hit the ground. The attackers were hovering over me and I couldn't run since I got shot in the leg. He was the only one who had hidden, he could have run away and left me there, but he showed himself and started to speak with them in their language. He was telling them to leave me be and to take him instead. Then they knocked him out and took him away. I swear by God, Private James Diamond is probably one of the bravest young recruits I've ever had the privilege to encounter.

Logan's heart had literally stopped as tears began to flood down his face. They had James.

"Logan," he heard Kendall say. "What is it?"

"They have James," was all Logan had the chance to say before he fully broke down in tears.

* * *

Logan had never felt anymore depressed in his life. He had stopped talking to everyone and had shut himself in his room, curled up in a tight little ball on the floor. He didn't know what to think. Somewhere in the Middle East, the love of his life was being held captive and it had been that way for a few weeks. There were no knew developments, and Logan's couldn't take it. He was falling apart at the seams. He needed James, and it broke everyone's hearts to see him so lost. They wanted to help but they didn't know how to. Only one person could help. That person was James.

James's head ached with the sounds of yelling. He had been stuck here for only a few weeks, yet time seemed to fully hate him, since it felt like years to him. A loud sound brought him out of his thoughts as a gun was pointed to his chest. He looked and saw one of his superior officers with another gun. It was a rescue team! His kidnapper made one final action before deciding to run. He fired, the bullet piercing James's chest. James could actually feel it, it barely missed hitting his heart. But it missed, and that was all that mattered to him.

"Diamond! Stay with me Diamond!" he heard but he felt a fire burn through his body as a wave of black overcame him.

* * *

_Come on James! Wake up! You've probably been lying here for weeks now! You need to GET UP! Think of your promise! Think of Logan! _As soon as Logan's name crossed his mind, James's eyes shot open. He quickly realized something. His hair was long again because he never got the chance to cut it.

"He's awake!" he heard a nurse say.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"A couple of weeks." Of course. "Your commanding officer said you've been stationed here for about three years." Three years, that was three years in which he hadn't seen anyone. One year longer than he was supposed to stay. "You're lucky that bullet missed hitting your heart. You could have died out there. But look at the bright side, they're letting you go home."

"Really? I can go home?"

"That injury of yours is too risky. Sending you back out there could kill you since your body wouldn't be able to handle it."

James nodded. "When can I leave?"

"In a few days. You're a hero. You were on the news because of what you did."

James leaned back in his bed. He was finally going home.

Logan didn't know what to think. He knew that James was alive and was in a coma. That was all he knew though. His friends had told him to keep faith while others were telling him to let go. He wasn't able to let go if something did happen to him. He would never be able to. He had gotten a call from James's commanding officer telling him not to expect any other updates on James's medical condition. What did that mean? Was he awake or was he dead? He didn't know when or if he would find out. He only knew that he wanted to have James by his side, but wasn't sure if he was ever going to get his wish.

* * *

"Logan you need to get out of here," he heard Kendall say. "You need fresh air."

"You know as well as I know that isn't what I need Kendall."

Kendall sighed and gave Logan a hug. "It'll be okay."

"I hope so."

"If he promised he'll come back then he will. This is our pal we're talking about."

James was getting taken to the airport, going through check-in relatively quickly. He was stopped a couple of times for getting recognized, but he just wanted to get home. He didn't tell the others since he wanted to surprise them. He couldn't wait to see them all. He was now in first class, eagerly awaiting the landing.

* * *

James stood outside the door and knocked. A smile came on his face as he saw Kendall's bewildered expression when the door finally opened. Carlos followed and they both gave him a huge hug. They walked out into the hallway. The boys were now sharing an apartment together, one that they had purchased after they had graduated.

"Where's Logan?" James asked.

"He's in his room, come on." Kendall walked him over to the door.

Logan was curled into a ball on the floor, a picture of James in his hand. He knew it wasn't healthy, but he couldn't deal with it any other way.

"Logan can I come in?" Kendall asked.

"Sure," Logan muttered. The door opened and he was pulled into a hug.

"Let it out Logan," Kendall said.

Logan started to sob, burying his face into the chest in front of him. "I miss him so fucking much! I need him so badly! I don't even know if he's alive! They never told me anything else! I'm so fucking worried about him! I can't take it! What if he doesn't come back? I can't do it anymore!" The tears were streaming down his cheeks and his body was shaking.

"You don't have to worry anymore Logie," a voice said and Logan's body stopped shaking.

"James?" Logan asked, his voice cracked. The arms around him tightened.

"At your service," James said.

Logan looked up and found himself staring into James's shinning hazel eyes, his hair long and in his face and James had pressed a kiss to his forehead. "James it is you!" Logan wrapped his arms around James's neck, tears still flowing down his face.

"I'm here Logie," James said. "I'm alive." He bent his head and their lips met gently. Logan weaved his fingers through James's hair, keeping him close.

"I've missed you so much!" Logan whimpered against James's lips. They pulled away, keeping their foreheads pressed together.

"I've missed you too," James said. He took Logan's hand and squeezed it. "I told you I'd come back."

"I know." Logan saw James's shirt opened slightly and saw a scar on his chest. "James, what happened to you?"

James guided Logan's hand to the scar, allowing the smaller boy to trace to permanent mark on his skin. "This was where I was shot at close range."

"You were shot?" Logan could feel James's heart beating against his chest from where his finger was positioned.

James nodded. "It barely missed my heart. I didn't let it keep me down. I know I needed to come back to see you."

"Will they ever deploy you again?"

"The injury is too much of a risk and they can't afford it. I have been relieved."

Logan pressed their lips together, relishing at the feeling. "I love you James."

"I love you too Logan." James kept Logan in his arms, holding him close, not ever wanting to let him go.


End file.
